28 Sep 2020

Police in Matsiloje have seized three containers of petrol and arrested a middle aged man on suspicion of smuggling fuel into Zimbabwe.

The suspect, who works for Organic Farm along the Ramokgwebana River, which forms part of the border between Botswana and Zimbabwe, allegedly buys petrol at Dumela Industrial Site in Francistown and ferries it into Zimbabwe.

Matsiloje Police Station Commander, Superintendent Charles Mbengwa said the suspect’s modus operandi was to use water pipes to ferry the petrol to his dealers on the Zimbabwean side. 

 He said the suspect was arrested on Thursday and was in the custody of BURS officials who were considering appropriate charge. He added that he was likely to be charged with illegal smuggling of goods into another country. 

Although authorities in Matsiloje said there was illegal smuggling of goods between Botswana and Zimbabwe, Superintendent Mbengwa said it was the first case of its kind to happen in his area of jurisdiction. He revealed that the suspect pretended to be drawing water from the river using a generator when in fact the product being ferried was petrol.

The suspect is said to then cross the pipe secretly to the Zimbabwe side where the petrol was collected into a man-made underground water connector. 

Supt Mbengwa explained that cases of illegal crossing of goods from Botswana to Zimbabwe and vice versa were the order of the day along the Botswana/Zimbabwean border since the outbreak of COVID-19.

However, he said Matsiloje police, in conjunction with members of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) had intensified patrols along the border line. 

He said the suspect would appear in court as soon as police investigations were complete. 

He said other suspects fled the scene when the police approached. ends